Shuttle check for looms



1968 L. G. uRQuHART 3,415,291

SHUTTLE CHECK FOR LOOMS Filed Jan. 25, 1967 United States Patent3,415,291 SHUTTLE CHECK FOR LOOMS Lloyd G. Urquhart, Westboro, Mass.,Assignor to H. F. Livermore Corporation, Boston, Mass., a corporation ofDelaware Filed Jan. 25, 1967, Ser. No. 611,597 2 Claims. (Cl. 139183)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for checking a shuttle as it entersa shuttle box in a loom so that the shuttle is decelerated gradually andsmoothly.

As commonly constructed a loom comprises a lay supported by swords andcarries a reed between each of the shuttle boxes which consist of afront box plate and a back box plate having an overhanging surface toguide the shuttle into the box. Usually the back box plate is ofone-piece cast-iron construction and the shelf is covered with leather.The back box plate is secured to the sword by a bolt and aligned withthe reed by set screws.

As it enters the shed after being picked the shuttle tends to rise andas it enters the shuttle box on the opposite side it must be deflecteddownwardly by the shelf. The repeated impact on the shelf causes rapidwear on the leather covering and occasional breakage of the castironshelf. In replacing a shelf it must be realigned by the aforesaid setscrews, involving additional trouble and expense. Inasmuch as theshuttle enters the box at different heights the fixed shelf causeserratic shuttle boxing by applying different degrees of frictiondepending on the height of entry.

It has been proposed to check the shuttle with a leaf spring disposed inthe path of the shuttle but this has proved unsatisfactory because ofspring breakage resulting from impact of the shuttle directly on thespring.

Objects of the present invention are to overcome the aforesaiddifficulties and to provide means for checking shuttles as they enterthe shuttle box which is simple and economical to produce, which guidesand brakes shuttles smoothly without shock, which correctly positionsshuttles as they enter the shuttle box, which may be quickly and easilyreplaced without removing the back box plate and is durable and reliablein use.

According to this invention a shuttle is checked as it enters a shuttlebox having a lay by means comprising an elongate check extendinglengthwise of the box over the lay, a pivotal support extendingtransversely of the lay for mounting the front end of the check with itsrearward portion inclining downwardly into the path of the shuttle andfree to swing about said support away from the lay, and a springyieldingly urging the check to swing downwardly about said pivotalsupport. Preferably the check is relatively rigid so as not to flexsubstantially when impacted by the shuttle, said spring is mounted onsaid pivotal support, and said spring being a leaf spring has its frontend mounted on the support with a rearward portion bearing on the backof the check and an intermediate portion bowing away from the check andbearing on an abutment.

For the purpose of illustration typical embodiments of the invention areshown in the accompanying drawings in which- "ice FIG. 1 is a plan view;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view from the line 22 of FIG. 1 showing a shuttleentering the shuttle box; and

FIG. 3 is a similar view showing the shuttle in an advanced position.

The particular embodiment of the invention shown in the drawingscomprises the following conventional parts: a lay plate 1, a lay sword2, a back box plate 3, a back box plate extension 4 secured to the backbox plate by means of a machine screw 6, a binder 7 pivoted to the layplate at 8, and a front box plate 9 secured to the lay plate at 11 and12, the faces of the binder 7 and front box plate 9 being covered withleather facings 13 and 14. In the usual way the back box plate 3 isaccurately positioned on the lay sword by means of three screws 16, 17and 18 which thread through the back box plate and bear on the laysword, the back box plate being held in adjusted position by means of ascrew 19 extending through the lay sword from the rear and threadinginto the back box plate to hold the adjusting screws 16, 17 and 18firmly against the front face of the lay sword. As shown at theleft-hand end of FIG. 1 the shuttle box is provided with the usual stop21 to stop the shuttles by engagement with their tips.

According to this invention a check 22 is pivotally mounted on the frontof the back box plate 3 by means of a screw 23, the check extendingdownwardly into the path of a shuttle S entering the box. The check hasa tail 24 extending upwardly over a stop pin 26 which limits thedownward movement of the check. A leaf spring 28 has its front endmounted on screw 23, its rear end bearing on the check 22 and itsintermediate portion bowing upwardly and bearing on an abutment 27. Asthe shuttle enters the box the check 22 swings upwardly about thepivotal support 23. The leaf spring 28 is gradually straightened toprogressively increase the braking action on the shuttle and deflectingthe shuttle downwardly under the back box plate extension 4.

By making the check 22 thick and stiff so as not to flex substantiallywhen impacted by the shuttle and placing the spring behind the check soas not to be impacted by the shuttle, the life of the check is increasedgreatly.

To replace a spring it is necessary merely to remove the screw 23. Theback box plate 3 need not be removed and readjusted as has beennecessary heretofore with a back guide plate having an overhangingsurface to guide the shuttle into the box.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. For controlling "a shuttle as it enters the shuttle box of a lay, anelongate check etxending lengthwise of the box over the lay, a pivotalsupport extending transversely of the lay for mounting the front end ofthe check with its rearward portion inclining downwardly into the pathof the shuttle and free to swing about said support away from the lay, astop pin at the rearward end of the check to support the check andlimitits downward movement, and a spring yieldingly urging the check toswing downwardly about said pivotal support, the check being relativelyrigid so as not to flex substantially when impacted by the shuttle, andsaid spring is mounted on said pivotal support.

3 2. The combination of claim 1 further characterized by an abutment,said spring being a leaf spring having its front end mounted on thesupport with a rearward portion bearing on the back of the check and anintermediate portion bowing away from the check and bearing on said 5abutment.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 687,520 11/1901 Draper 139-183 42,171,729 9/1939 Livermore 139-183 2,580,297 12/1951 Hoeber 139-1833,199,543 8/1965 Franks et a]. 139183 3,339,591 9/1967 Urquhart 139-183ROBERT R. MACKEY, Primary Examiner.

JAMES KEE CHI, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 139-493

